Saddle-joint for railway-rails.



PATBNTED MAY 10, 1904.

No. 759,694. r

' T. H. GIBBON. k

SADDLE JOINT FOR RAILWAY RAILS. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 8, 1903 H0 IODBL.

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UNITED STATES Patented May 10, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

SADDLE-JOINT FOR RAILWAY-RAILS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 759,694, dated May 10, 1904.

Application filed gus 8, 1903. Serial No. 168,816. No mde1.;

- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS H. GIBBON, a

A citizen of the United States, residing at Camnecessity of drilling holes through the webs of the rails for the reception of fish-plate connections. As is well understood, these holes weaken the joints between rails and oftentimes result in the breaking thereof by cars passing thereover.

A further object is to provide a joint which permits the parts to be rapidly assembled and at the same time allows the rails to freely expand or contract.

Another object is to provide a joint which prevents creeping or buckling of the rails and which serves to support the adjoining ends of the rails, and thereby obviates pounding by the wheels of the cars passing thereover.

'ith the above and other objects in view the invention consists in providing a joint with a tread which is adapted to aline with the heads of the rails joined thereby, and this tread is provided on its inner face with a depending rib adapted to fit upon the webs at the ends of the rails where the heads of said rails have been removed. Ribs are also formed upon the inner faces of the sides of the joint and are adapted to contact with the sides of the webs of the rails and supportthe same.

The invention also consists in providing means for securing the joint in position upon the ends of abutting rails.

The invention also consists in the further novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, showing the preferred form of my invention, and in which- Figure 1 is a transverse section through my improved saddle-joint in positionnpon a rail. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the blank from which the joint is formed and prior to the shaping thereof. Fig. 3 is a plan View of the saddle-joint prior to its being bent into proper shape. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the joint, and Fig. 5 is a detail view of the securing-plate of the joint.

Referring to the figures by numerals of reference, 1 is the tread of t-he-saddle-joint, and at the center thereof it is provided with a longitudinally-extending rib 2, which is adapted to rest upon the webs at the ends of rails to be joined, the heads of said rails being cut away a sufficient distance to permit the joint to be placed upon the webs. Ribs 3 are formed upon the inner faces of the sides 4 of the saddle-joint, and these ribs are adapted to abut against the sides of the webs 5 and support them in position directly under the depending rib 2. The sides 4 are bent outward, as shown at 6, and bear upon the base-flanges 7 of the rails. Both of these outwardly-bent portions 6 terminate in downwardly-extending flanges 8, which are provided with slots 9, adapted to receive a baseplatc 10. This base-plate has oppositelyextending cars 11 at one end thereof for limiting its movement through the slots 9 in one direction. Apertures 12 are formed within the plate for the reception of spikes 13, which are adapted to be driven into a tie 14, having recesses 15 therein for the reception of the flanges 8 when not used as a suspended joint.

The saddle-joint above described is preferably constructed of sheet-steel, which is rolled so as to form the parallel ribs 2 and 3 upon one face. The metal is then cut in the form illustrated in Fig. 3 and subsequently bent, as shown in Fig. 1, so as to appear in side elevation as illustrated in Fig. 4. The joint is very durable and inexpensive in construction and can be readily attached to the rails and will securely fasten them together.

In the foregoing description I have shown the preferred form of my invention; but I do not limit myself thereto, as I am aware that modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, and I therefore reserve the right to make such changes as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is 1. A joint of the character described comprising a tread, a depending rib centrally arporting plate projecting through the flanges, and means for securing the plate within the flanges.

3. A joint of the character described formed in asinglestripof metal and emnprisinga tread, a depending rib tlni-reon, depending sides to the tread, inwardly-extending ribs upon the sides and below the first-mentioned rib, outwardly-projecting extensions to the sides, slotted flanges thereto, a rail-supporting plate within the flanges, ears at one end of the plate, and means for securing the plate within the flange.

' In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

.' 7 THOMAS H. GIBBON.

\Vitnesses:

i T. G. Cowman,

NORMAN J. SMITH. 

